Clutch



April 225` 1924. l 1,490,967

' F. s. DENNEEN ET AL CLUTCH Filed oci. '18, 1920 2 sheets-sheet `1 will @Horneg April z2, 1924. 1,490,967

. F. s. DENNEEN ET Al.

CLUTCH Filed oct. 18. 1920. 2 sheets-sheet 2 vvuanffozq, E MLM Patented Apr. 22, 1924.

- UNITED STATI-,1s

PATENT orslcs.

F'BANCIS S. DENNEEN AND COURTNEY N. MITCHELL, OF CLEVELAND, 0R11).A

' cLUzrcIL Application tiled October 18, 1920. Serial No. 417,752.

T all wlwm t'may concern.

Be it known that we, FRANCIS S. DEN- N'EEN and COURTNEY N. MITCHELL, citizensv of the United States, and residents of Cleveland, Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clutches which invention Ais fully set forth in the following specification.vv

This invention relates to clutches and, l0 while capable of use in a wide variety of clutches, has. particular utility when embodied in clutches for motor cars and similar uses.

It has heretofore been proposed to move l5 the members of a friction clutch axially of the driving vand driven elements by a pressure ring with which cooperates a plurality of levers. It has also been proposed to mount these levers pivotally on said pressure ring and cause the same to fulcrum on a second ring which may be adjusted axially to take u the'wear of the cooperating clutch mem ers, said adjustment being effected by contacting cam faces or by the relative movement of threaded parts. It is an object of this invention to provide a clutch of this general type but of im roved construction.

further Object of the invention is to I0 provide a clutch of the type characterized which is made up of simple parts whereby inexpensive forgings and stampings may bel used and intricate and expensive castings and forgings avoided, and one which does not necessitate expensive machining and highly skilled labor when constructing and assembling the same.

A further object of this invention is to provide a clutch of the type characterized which may be easily adjusted to take up the wear of the cooperating clutch members and which mayk be readily inspected and repaired. r

Another object of this invention is to provide'a simplified clutch of the type characterized which is composed of a minimum number of parts and 1s light in weight and yet which is stron and durable. p Other objects wi l appear as the descrip- W tion of theA invention proceeds.

The invention is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, two-of which are shown on the accompanying drawings, butit is to be expressly understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration only and are not to be construed as a definition ofthe limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for that purpose.

In said drawings Fig. l is an axial section of a clutch embodymg the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a partially sectional view of the fulcrum ring and cover-retaining ring in separated relationship.

Fig. 3 is a face view of the clutch.

Fig. 4. is a partial axial section of a multiple disk clutch embodying the present invention. v f

In the form shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, 1 is the driving) element and 2 the driven element. Suita ly attached to a flange on the driving element or shaft l, as by a plurality of bolts 3, is a clutch member 4 which, when the clutch is used on a motor car, may be the usual Hy wheel on the -enygine shaft. In the form shown, the y wheel 4 is cored axially to form a housing and provide the recess 5, the rear face 6 of which constitutes one of the friction surfaces of the clutch, althou h ifdesired a separate may be mounte within said recess.

uitably keyed or otherwise fixed tothe driven element or shaft 2 within said'recess 5 is a cooperating clutch member 7 between whch and the friction Surface 6 a ring of any suitable friction material 8 may be interposed. A lso mounted 'within'said recess 5 is a ressure ring 9 between which and the clutc member 7V a second friction ring 10, similar to ring 8, may be interposed. The pressure ring 9 is keyed to rotate with the housing or fiy .Wheel 4 in( any suitable way. In the form shown, one or more slots are provided in the periphery of said ring and headed pins 11 are mounted in suitable apertures in the wall of the fly wheel or housing with their heads in' eng ement with said slots. ivotally mounted on said pressure ring 100 9, Vas by lugs 12, are a plurality `of clutch'operating levers 13. Anyv suitable number of l member 19 in enga levers may be employed, three being preferred positioned 120 apart. Said levers extend inwardly tangentially of the shaft 2 and their inner ends areV operatively engaged in the groove 14 of a lever-shifting collar 15 keyed or otherwise suitably connected to a clutch-shifting sleeve 16. At its opposite end, said sleeve 16 has a ball bearing 17 with a clutch-shifting yoke 18 of any suitable construction. Said levers may carry rollers for engagement in said groove 14, if desired.

A cover or housing for the clutch members is preferably provided, and when the clutch members are housed in a recess vin the fly wheel as heretofore described, said housing may be more or less completed by a detachable closure member at the open end of the housing. The term cover is used in the claims, however, as generic to any suitable covering, casing or housing for the clutch members Whether or not the clutch members are more or less housed in a recess in the fly-wheel. The closure member, in the form illustrated, takes the form of a cupped member 19 having a large central aperture 20 and a peripheral flange 21. Said closure member may 'be retained in position in any suitable way, preferably by a ring 22 having an axial flange 23 which fits the bore of the recess 5 and a radial flange 24 which may be suitably secured to the peripheral edge of thefl wheel4 as by a plurality of tap screws 25. he cupped portion. of said closure member 19 forms a housing for a coil spring 26 wh'ch at its outer end engages the inner wall o said closure member and at its inner end engages a flange onjfthe clutch-shifting collar 15. Said spring serves both to normally urge the levers 13 towards clutch-applying position and to retain said closure ment with the ring 22to prevent rattling o 'the parts.-

The flange 21 of said closure member 19' is slotted, as shown at 27, opposite each of the levers 13 and the fulcrum portions 28 of said levers project'through said slots 27 into en agement with a fulcrum ring 29 mounte exteriorly of said closure member. The fulcrum portions of said levers may also carry rollers for engagement with said ring 29. Said ring 29 may be provided with a renewable face ring 30 of wear-resisting material for engagement with the fulcra of said levers. To provide for adjustment of said V-fulerum ring 29 so as to take up the wear of the clutch parts, said ring is lmade axially adjustable and to this end is preferably'provided w1th exterior threads 31 which cooperate with interior threads 32 on the cover-` v29 in adjusted osition. In its preferred construction sai sure ring 9, owing to the pins 11, the levers 13, collar 15 and sleeve 16, as well as the4 closure member 19, fulcrum ring` 29 land their associated parts, rotatingtherewith. Normally, spring 26 holds collar 15 and levers 13 in the position shown in Fig. 1. Since these levers -fulcrum on the ring 29, the pressure exerted by spring 26 on said levers is transmitted to pressure ring 9 which forces clutch member 7 with the cooperating friction rings 8 and 10 into clutching engagement with the face 6 of the housing or flywheel" 4, whereby .the element or shaft 2 is driven from the element or shaft 1. In order to disengage the clutch to prevent rotation of shaft 2 while flywheel 4 rotates, sleeve 16 is shifted toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, by any suitable means, as a foot-pedal, not shown. As the clutch parts Wear, the expanding bolt 34 may be loosened to release the ring 29, whereupon said ring may be screwed inwardly Sulliciently to take up the wear, after which said bolt may be operated to expand the ring 29 'into locking engagement with the ring 22.

In" the above described embodiment ofthe invention a single friction disk has been ring is split as shown at 33 and an expanding bolt 34 is suitably mounted on the driven shaft. The inven- Y tion, however, is equally applicable tomulbodiment of Fig. 4,*wherein similar 'parts are given the same reference characters as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3. In this arrangement, the clutch member 4Q mounted on the driven shaft 2 carries a plurality of annular friction rings 41 which cooperate with one or more annular friction rings 42 mounted to'V rotate with the housing or fly Wheel 4. While said rin or rings 42 may be keyed directly to the y wheel, the form shown has said ring or rings 42 keyed to the pressure ring 9"" by the use of a4 pin 43 mounted in said ring and extending into a slot or aperture in the friction rings 42. As in the embodiment of Figs.l 1K to 3, suitable rings of frictional material 44 are interposed between each of saidrings 41 and 42 as well as between said rings and the clutch surfaces of the pressure ringy 9 and the hous` ing or fly, wheel 4.

-of this invention.

It will therefore be rceived that a clutch has been provided-w 'ch is composed of a minimum number of simple parts whereby expensive or complicated castings or forgings are avoided and whereby simple forgf ings and stampings may be employed with-- out the use of highly skilled labor or expensive machining. While said clutch is light and simple in construction it is strong and durable and possesses the advantages-that it is readily assembled, inspected and adjusted.

While the embodimentsl illustrated have been described with considerable particularity, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto' as changes may be made in form, arrangement and details of construction, and certain features thereof used withouty other features thereof, without departing from the spirit Reference istherefore to be had to the claims heretoappended for a `ing and driven elements and coo definition of the limits of the invention.`

`What We claim is: I

l. ln a clutch, in combination with driving and driven elements and cooperating clutch members operatively connected to said driving and driven elements, clutch actuating means comprising a plurality of levers for actuating said clutch members, a spring for actuating said levers, a member constituting an abutment for said sprin and through Whichvsaid levers project, an a justable member on which said levers fulcrum, and means for locking said last-named member in adjusted position.

2. In a clutch, in combination with driving and driven elements and cooperating clutch members operatively connected to said driving and driven elements, clutch actuat-- ing means comprising a plurality of levers for actuating said clutch members, a housing member through which the fulcrum rtions of said levers project, a ring on which said levers fulcrum, 'a member with which said ring has threaded engagement for purposes of adjustment, and means for locking said ring in adjusted position? f 3. In a clutch, 1n combination with drivrating clutch members operatively connecte to said driving and driven elements, clutch actuating means comprising a plurality of levers for ,actuating said clutch members, a hous ing member through which the fulcrum portions ofsaid levers project, a split ring onI which said levers fulcrum, a `member with which said ring has threaded engagement for purposes of adjustment, and an expanding bolt for locking position. f i

4. In a clutch, in combination with driving and driven elements and cooperating clutch members `operatively connected to sai driving and driven elements, clutch actuatmg means comprising a plurality kof levers said ring in adjusted 6. In a clutch, in combination with driv.

ing and driven elements and cooperating clutch members operatively connected tosaid driving and driven elements, clutch actuating means comprising a plurality `of levers' 1 for actuating said clutch members, a housing for 'said clutch members, a closure member for said housing through which the fulcrum portions of said levers project, screw threads on said housing exterior of said closure member, and a ring in threaded engagement with said vscrew threads and on which said levers fulcrum.` t

7. In a clutch, in combination with driving and driven elements and cooperating clutch members operatively connected to said driving and driven elements, clutch actuatf ing means comprising a plurality of leversy for actuating said clutch members, a housing for said clutch members, a closure member for said housing through which the ulcrum portions of said levers project, a ring fixed to said housing for retaining said closure member in position, and an adjustable ring coacting with said last-mentioned ring and on which said levers fulcrum.

8. In a clutch, in combination with driving and driven elements and cooperating clutch members operatively connected to sald driving and driven elements, clutch actuating means comprising a plurality'of levers for actuating said clutch. members, a cover `for said clutch members through which the said levers project, an adjustable member exterior of said cover on which said levers fulcrum, and means for locking said membery in adjusted position. v

9.- In a clutch, in combination with dr1ving and driven elements and cooperating clutch members operatively connected to said -driving and driven elements, clutch actuating means comprising a plurality of levers for actuating said clutch members, a cover for said clutch members through whlch the fulcrum portions of said levers project, anl adjustable ring exterior of; said cover on which Said levers fulcrum, andan expanding `device` for locking said ring in adjusted position.

a clutch, in combination with driv' ing and driven elements and cooperatingclutch members operatively connected to said driving and driven elements, clutch actuating means comprising a plurality of levers for actuating said clutch members, a housing for said clutch members, a closure member for said housing through which the fulcrum portions of said levers project, a threaded ring having engagement With threads carried by said housing and on which ring said levers fulcrum, and means for locking said ring in adjusted position.

11. In a clutch, in combination with driving and driven elements and cooperating clutch members, clutch actuating means comprising a plurality of levers for actuating said clutch members, a spring for actuating said levers, a member constituting an abutment for said spring and through which said levers project, and a member exterior of said abutment member "on which said levers fulcrum.

12. In a clutch, in combination with driving 'angpdriven elements and 'vcooperating clutch members operatively related to said driving and-driven elements, a member movable axiallyof said clutch members for accuating the same, a pluralitiy of levers 'carried by said member for moving the same, a cover through which said levers project, and means exterior of said cover on which said levers fulcrurn. l

y 13. In a clutch, in combination with driving and `driven elements and cooperating clutch members operatively related to said driving and driven elements, a member movable axially of'said clutch members-for actuating the same, a plurality of levers carried by said member for movingwthe same, a cover through which said levers'project, and an adjustable member exterior of said cover on which said levers fulcrum.

14. In a clutch, in combinationwith ing 'and driven elements and cooperating clutch members operatively related to said driving and driven elements, a member movable axially of said clutch members for actuating the same, a plurality ofslevers carried by said member for moving the same, a cover through which said leversr project, an adjustable member exterior of said cover on which said levers fulcrum, and means for lockin said member in adjusted position.l

. 15. n a clutch. in combination Withdriving and driven elements and lcooperating Clutch members operatively related to said driving and driven elements, a housing for said clutch members, a member movable longitudinally of said housing for actuating said clutch members, a' plurality -of levers carried by said memberfor moving the same, a closure member through which said levers project, aring exterior ofv said closure memberhaving threaded engagement with threads carried by said housing and on which ring said levers fulcrum, and

means for loc-king said ring in adjusted posiy terior of said closure member having threaded engagement with threads carried by said housingv and on which ring said levers fulerum, and an expanding device for locking mid ring Iin adjusted position;

17. In a clutch, in combination with driving and driven elements and cooperating clutch members operatively connected to said driving and driven elements,` clutch ac; tuating means comprising a plurality of levers for )actuating said clutch members,

a cover through which said levers project',

a ring for retaining said cover in position,

'and a ring having adjustable connection to said first-named ring and on which 4said levers fulcrum. v

18. In. a clutch, in combination with driving and ydriven elements and cooperating clutch members operatively connected to said driving Vand driven elements, a plurality of pivotally-mounted levers operable :to cause frictional engagement between said clutch members, a memberl through which the fulo-rumsurfaces of said levers reject, Vfulcrum surfaces directly engaged y said fulcrum surfaces on said levers exterior of said member, and unitary Vmeans for adjusting said fulcrum surfaces.

19. In a clutch, in combination with driving and driven elements Aand cooperating 4clutch members operatively connected to and driven elements', a plu-y said driving rality of pivotall -mounted levers operable to causefrictiona engagement between said clutch members, a member through which said levers project, adjustable surfaces on which said levers directly fulcrum exterior of said member, and meansfor simultaneous'ly adjusting said fulcrum surfaces.`

20. Ina clutch,lin combination with driving and driven elements and cooperating clutch members operatively connected to said.. driving and. driven elements, a plurality of `pivotall -mounted levers operable to cause frictiona engagement between said clutch members,"a member through which the fulcrum surfaces of said levers project, and means exterior -of said cover providing fulcrum surfaces directly engaged b the` fulcrum surfaces of said levers and opgrable to 'simultaneously' adjust said levers.. 21. In a clutch, in combination with driving and driven elements and cooperating clutch members operatively connected to said driving and driven elements, a plurality of pivotally-mounted levers operable to cause frietional engagement between said clutch members, a member through which 'said levers project, and a member exterior of said last-named member providing fulcrum 4surfaces directly `engaged by said levers and operable to adjust said levers substantially the same amount.

22. In a clutch, in combination with driv- Aing and driven elements and cooperating clutch members operatively connected to said driving and driven elements, a plurality of pivotally-mounted levers operableA to cause rictional engagement between said clutch members, a member through which the fulcrum surfaces of said levers project, anda rotatable ring exterior of said member providing fulcrum surfaces directly engaged by said levers and operable to ad'ust said said levers project, a member exterior of said last-named member providing fuli `crum surfaces directly engaged by said leber in adjusted position.

vers and operable to adjust said levers simultaneously, and means to lock said mem- 24. In a clutch, in combination with driving and drivenelements and cooperating clutch members operatively connected to said driving and driven elements, a plurality of pivotally-mounted levers operable to cause frictional engagement between said clutch members, a member through which, `said .levers project, and an adjustable ring exterior of said member and directly engaged by said levers for adjusting the surfaces on which said levers ulcrum.

25. A frictional clutch, said clutchl comprising a casing provided with apertures, a driving and` a driven element, thrust mechanism operative for holding said elements in frictional engagement, said thrust mechanism including spaced' angularly shaped levers, the clutch being entirely housed in the casing, one armof said levers projecting through the apertures in the casing and bevyond the outer face thereof, and means mounted onfthe outer side of the 'casing'and adjustable longitudinally of the clutch and constituting a fulcrum point for said 'projecting arms of the levers.

A friction clutch saidfclutchV comprising a casing provided with apertures, said clutch'being entirely4 housed in said casing, a driving and a driven element, an-

-gularly shaped levers disposed' within the clutch casing, arms of `said levers extending outwardly through the apertures in the casing, and an adjusting ring carried by the housing and cooperating with -the outer ends of the arms of the levers.

27. A friction clutch, said clutch comprising a casing provided with apertures, said clutch being entirely housed in said casing, a driving and avdriven element, angularly shaped levers for controlling said driving and driven elements, an adjusting ring disposed outside lof the housing, out.- wardly extending arms carried by the aangularly shaped levers and extendin through the apertures in the housing an cooperating with the adjusting ring.

28. A friction clutch, said clutch com- 'x prising a casing provided with apertures, said clutch being entirely housed inthe casing; angularly shaped levers for operating the clutch, a projection extending outwardly from olie side of the casing, an annular member threaded on said projection and adjustable inwardly and outwardly thereon, one of the arms of'said angularlyfshaped ,-leversextending through the apertures in the casing yand cooperating with the annular member threaded on the projection of the casing. f

29.' A friction clutch, vsaid clutch com'- prising a .casing provided with apertures, said clutch being entirely housed in the casing, angularly shaped levers for operating the clutch, one arm of each of' said an larly shaped levers lextending outwar ly through the apertures in one side of the casing,l an adjusting ring carried by said casing and disposed entirely outside thereof,

and cooperating with the ends ofthe outwardly extending arms of the levers.

30. A friction clutch, said clutch comprisin a casing provided with apertures,

said c utch being entirely housed in the casy ing, an ularl shaped levers for o rat` the cluzh, saird levers extending oultvardlg through the apertures in the housing, an a justing ring threaded on a portion of Said housing and disposed outside of the housing and cooperating'with the levers which extend outwardly through the apertures in the casing, and means for holding the adjusting ring in various adjusted positions.

31. In a clutch,in combination with driving and driven elements and cooperating clutch-members, -a member movable axially of said clutch members for actuating the same, a spring for moving said member, a

plurality of levers carried. by said membel; i

armember constituting an abutment for sai spring and through which said levers project, and means exterior Vof said abutment member on which said levers fulcrum.

32. In a clutch, in combination with. driving and driven elements andeooperating clutch members, a member movable-axially of said clutch members for actuating the same, a-'spring for moving'said member, a plurality of levers carried by said member, a member constituting an abutment for said spring and through which `said levers project, and an adjustable rin exterior of said abutment member on whic said levers fulcrum. jl Y f 10 In testimony whereof we have signed this specification.

- FRANCIS vS. DENNEEN.

COURTNY N. MITCHELL. 

